Huntsman: Daniels's exit helps

Published 7:10 pm, Sunday, May 22, 2011

LACONIA, N.H. - Jon Huntsman said Sunday that Mitch Daniels' exit from the presidential race would make his own path to the nomination easier if he decides to run.

"I think the opening is to our advantage," the former Utah governor and ambassador to China told POLITICO in an interview outside the VFW post here. "How many reform-minded governors are there left who are going to take a very fiscally conservative approach to problem solving? I think, in large part, it's something that benefits our team."

Daniels' late-night exit from the race Saturday left blocs of donors and supporters - many of whom supported George W. Bush - without an obvious candidate. Huntsman, who is looking to take up that mantle, will meet with former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, at their home in Maine on Monday.

Huntsman says he won't decide until June whether he'll get in the race, but his five-day swing through New Hampshire this weekend showcased an organization that's prepared to run a classic New Hampshire primary campaign: a large and sophisticated team of advance staffers, local consultants and a cadre of national advisors who were with the former Utah governor as he met with key political hands in the state and made close to a dozen retail stops.

At the VFW post here, Huntsman walked in to find World War II Air Force veteran Tom Machaud playing pool. Huntsman challenged him to a game, and spent about 15 minutes playing while photographers looked on. Huntsman lost the game - he had left three stripes on the table when Machaud sank the eight ball.